When Andrea and I were here two years ago, I don't think either of us thought we would be back so soon, but no complaints here! So from a land of alpine mountains, lakes and meadows, where bells can continuously be heard ringing out from church steeples and making music under the necks of peaceful cows and sometimes nervous sheep, a country of chocolate and cheese - and so much more - this is just a brief update on the latest wanderings. I have been delighted to be able to experience all of the Swiss adjectives and descriptions above and then some! And I have been able to hang out with Andrea on weekends and a couple days that she was able to take off.
After spending a couple nights in Geneva, most of my time has been spent in Weinfelden, a small village about an hour north of Zurich. Like so many Swiss towns it straddles a river and then creeps up the hills and is quickly surrounded by fields and farms. Andrea and I arrived for the weekend and our gracious hosts have been Thomas and Lilian, our fellow travellers who we met
in South Africa and have been friends with since. I have stayed with them for the past two weekends along with Andrea and also the week in between when she returned to Geneva. In addition to feeding us and answering our many questions, they have also taken us to Appenzell and Ebenalp for a good swiss hike and a great Rosti (a hearty somewhat similar to hashbrowns meal but so much better topped off with pungent Appenzeller cheese) lunch at a restaurant perched literally on the side of the cliff.
(Photo: Andrea, Thomas and Lilian beginning the hike up to Ebenalp.)
(Photo: Berggasthaus Aescher - 170 year old mountain hut welcoming visitors and serving great Rosti.)
(Photo below: Fondue dinner with Thomas, Lilian and her dad.)
We have also had dinner with their parents and I was fortunate to be able to spend the day with Lilian's dad as he took me to the Abbey Library at St. Gall (St. Gallen). I wasn't quite sure what to expect when it was suggested to go see a library - but when you realize that it was back in 612 that the Irish monk Gallus erected his hermitage on the site, you start to realize the significance of the place. By the 9th century it was a thriving abbey. So the "library" built in Late Baroque
style around 1760 is the library of the former Benedictine monastary which had a second period of glory in the 17th and 18th centuries. Today it contains about 170,000 works, of which 2100 manuscripts predate theyear 1000. It is quite amazing to see books that were written so many years ago. And the actual room is exquisite. For sure it earns it's World Heritage Site status. And just for good measure, Hans (Lilian's dad) also took me to the shore of Lake Constance and across the border into Germany which sits on the lake.
(Photo of library taken from a post card - no pictures allowed inside!)
Another day I went into Zurich with Thomas where he is a Dentist at the university there. He gave me a grand tour and got to see him work on a patient. I explored some of the sights in Zurich including the great churches before surprising Heinz and Christiane Mayer, long time former co-workers of my parents in North Thailand who now live and work in Zurich. I hadn't seen them for probably twenty years and pulled a classic TCK move not letting them know I was coming. After much catching up and a quick delicious thai meal we made plans to get-together again yesterday when
Andrea was back so that they could meet her. Joining us at lunch yesterday was son David and his wife Christine. As it always is, it was great to catch up and reminisce a little. Heinz and Christiane operate an incredible home for university students (international and Swiss) called Oase . It really is a wonderful gift and service that they offer.
After another delicious thai meal, we went to the Zurich zoo - another highlight of this trip for me. Whenever we travel we try and explore zoos or botanical gardens and the Zurich Zoo does not disappoint!
Another highlight of my time here was spending a couple days with Hedi Herrman - another former colleague of my parents in Thailand. We stayed with her two years ago and were thankful to be able to catch up again.
Weather wise, it was cold and grey the first week (the coldest May Switzerland has had in years - seems to be a theme where ever we go), but this past week has been glorious. Sunny and warm. The farmers are cutting their hay, the cows and sheep are happy and content in the fields. I have loved walking up the hill behind Weinfelden and exploring the farms, fields and forests of this beautiful country. Anything alive and growing always captures my attention so whether it is an amazing tropical greenhouse or a cute cow (or the three very cute degu's Thomas and Lilian own), there has been much to keep me enthralled. How can you resist the following faces?
After spending a couple nights in Geneva, most of my time has been spent in Weinfelden, a small village about an hour north of Zurich. Like so many Swiss towns it straddles a river and then creeps up the hills and is quickly surrounded by fields and farms. Andrea and I arrived for the weekend and our gracious hosts have been Thomas and Lilian, our fellow travellers who we met
in South Africa and have been friends with since. I have stayed with them for the past two weekends along with Andrea and also the week in between when she returned to Geneva. In addition to feeding us and answering our many questions, they have also taken us to Appenzell and Ebenalp for a good swiss hike and a great Rosti (a hearty somewhat similar to hashbrowns meal but so much better topped off with pungent Appenzeller cheese) lunch at a restaurant perched literally on the side of the cliff.(Photo: Andrea, Thomas and Lilian beginning the hike up to Ebenalp.)
(Photo: Berggasthaus Aescher - 170 year old mountain hut welcoming visitors and serving great Rosti.)(Photo below: Fondue dinner with Thomas, Lilian and her dad.)
We have also had dinner with their parents and I was fortunate to be able to spend the day with Lilian's dad as he took me to the Abbey Library at St. Gall (St. Gallen). I wasn't quite sure what to expect when it was suggested to go see a library - but when you realize that it was back in 612 that the Irish monk Gallus erected his hermitage on the site, you start to realize the significance of the place. By the 9th century it was a thriving abbey. So the "library" built in Late Baroque
style around 1760 is the library of the former Benedictine monastary which had a second period of glory in the 17th and 18th centuries. Today it contains about 170,000 works, of which 2100 manuscripts predate theyear 1000. It is quite amazing to see books that were written so many years ago. And the actual room is exquisite. For sure it earns it's World Heritage Site status. And just for good measure, Hans (Lilian's dad) also took me to the shore of Lake Constance and across the border into Germany which sits on the lake.(Photo of library taken from a post card - no pictures allowed inside!)
Another day I went into Zurich with Thomas where he is a Dentist at the university there. He gave me a grand tour and got to see him work on a patient. I explored some of the sights in Zurich including the great churches before surprising Heinz and Christiane Mayer, long time former co-workers of my parents in North Thailand who now live and work in Zurich. I hadn't seen them for probably twenty years and pulled a classic TCK move not letting them know I was coming. After much catching up and a quick delicious thai meal we made plans to get-together again yesterday when
Andrea was back so that they could meet her. Joining us at lunch yesterday was son David and his wife Christine. As it always is, it was great to catch up and reminisce a little. Heinz and Christiane operate an incredible home for university students (international and Swiss) called Oase . It really is a wonderful gift and service that they offer.After another delicious thai meal, we went to the Zurich zoo - another highlight of this trip for me. Whenever we travel we try and explore zoos or botanical gardens and the Zurich Zoo does not disappoint!
Another highlight of my time here was spending a couple days with Hedi Herrman - another former colleague of my parents in Thailand. We stayed with her two years ago and were thankful to be able to catch up again.
Weather wise, it was cold and grey the first week (the coldest May Switzerland has had in years - seems to be a theme where ever we go), but this past week has been glorious. Sunny and warm. The farmers are cutting their hay, the cows and sheep are happy and content in the fields. I have loved walking up the hill behind Weinfelden and exploring the farms, fields and forests of this beautiful country. Anything alive and growing always captures my attention so whether it is an amazing tropical greenhouse or a cute cow (or the three very cute degu's Thomas and Lilian own), there has been much to keep me enthralled. How can you resist the following faces?
(Andrea trying the Alpine horn before our fondue dinner at Lilian's dad's house.)
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